I am cycling from Preston to Spain for my late parents who I lost less than a year of each other
A Preston man will be cycling to Spain later this year in memory of his late parents.
Steve Walker, who tragically lost both his parents to terminal cancer in less than a year of each other, will be cycling 900 miles in April in their memory.
He is also hoping to raise money for St Catherine’s Hospice who provided ‘invaluable’ support.
In January 2023 his dad was diagnosed with terminal bowel cancer. Although he was cared for at home by my mum, St Catherine’s provided support to them.
He said: “My dad passed away in April 2023. Sadly, three months later my mum was also diagnosed with terminal cancer.
“Despite having radiotherapy, the cancer was aggressive and my mum went downhill quickly.
“We cared for her at our home in her final few months until she passed away surrounded by family in February 2024.”
“At a time when the NHS was under massive stress, St Catherine’s was the driving force, the glue that held everything together.
“I never realized just how much St Catherine’s provide for my community. Those who have experienced this, know how brilliant they are. Those who haven’t, I hope you never need to.”
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Explaining why he decided to undertake the gruelling challenge, he said: “I don’t want to do something “fun” or easy. I want to do something that will push me to my limits, something that will take me close to breaking point, something that I feel I am more likely to fail at than to succeed.”
In early April 2025 he plans to cycle from St Catherine’s Hospice to San Miguel de Salinas in southern Spain (via the Portsmouth to Santander ferry) where his parents had a second home and spent 25 happy years there.
He added: “I plan to do this within seven days, including 36 hours on the ferry.
“The total cycling mileage will be over 900 miles, in excess of 150 miles a day in the saddle.
“I am a novice cyclist who will be 50 at the time of the challenge, so I have less than four months to turn myself into a pedaling machine.”
St Catherine’s Hospice, based at Lostock Hall, helps people facing life-shortening conditions to live in comfort and with dignity, independence and choice.
It is funded by a combination of NHS funding, grants, trusts, foundations, and donations from the local community.
If yo would like to make a donation to Steve’s fundraiser for St Catherine’s Hospice click HERE.